


Not-So-Bitter Cold

by celestialshimmer



Series: Tumblr Ficlets [2]
Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-24
Updated: 2014-05-24
Packaged: 2018-01-26 08:18:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1681322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialshimmer/pseuds/celestialshimmer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on an anonymous prompt: *hyperventilates* Valdangelo wearing soft oversized sweaters and drinking tea and hot chocolate and cute little make out sessions :3 VALDANGELO *faints*. Originally posted on Tumblr back in October.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not-So-Bitter Cold

Leo never would have expected how cozy the Hades cabin could be in the middle of winter.

There wasn’t much snow within the camp borders, but the cold and brisk winds still made him want to go cuddle with Nico under a nice wool blanket and just kiss until he felt nice and warm again. Or he could just flame up. That could heat him up too - but the first option was way more fun.

Nico always liked cold, Leo knew. But hey, nobody could date him for long and not get used to heat - Nico was often exasperated by how Leo seemed to want to bring Texas temperatures to New York, but he seemed to be getting used to it over time.

Not surprisingly, there weren’t too many nice blankets in the Hades cabin. The green flames of the Greek fire could be surprisingly warming, though, and Leo had borrowed some things from the Big House. He’d walked into Nico’s cabin with a grin and arms full. “Hey honey, did you miss me?”

Nico was lying on his bed and didn’t even look up, but Leo could tell his boyfriend had rolled his eyes. “Actually starting to miss the silence now you’re here.”

"Please," Leo said with a bright grin as he flopped down next to Nico. "Like peace and quiet is as good as _my_ presence.”

"Someone's self-absorbed," Nico commented with a straight face, but a gleam in his eye and a noticeable lack of denial.

"And bonus! Chiron was making some hot chocolate, so I brought some! Not only do you get me, but a deliciously warm drink!" Leo set down the steaming thermos and gleefully clinked the two yellow mugs together.

"Leo, that’s sweet, but I don’t even _like_ -” Nico began to protest, but Leo quickly put a finger to his boyfriend’s lips.

"Shh, I got your weird bitter crap too," he said as he placed another thermos onto the table. "With sugar of course, since I refuse to let you drink that stuff too healthy and green."

Nico picked up the thermos and unscrewed the lid to pour into one of the mugs. “The point of green tea is to have it be nice and strong and… well, not sweet, Leo.”

Leo swatted his hand. “My mug.” The only difference on the two was the discoloration on the handle of the first one, but Leo liked it. “And you drink sweet stuff other times!”

Nico rolled his eyes again, but obliged and poured his tea into the other mug. “I drink cold stuff sweet. Hot stuff needs to be strong and bitter.” He took a long sip.

"Weirdo," Leo said, trying to roll his eyes like Nico had. He shoved the sugar packet back into a pocket, though. Nico looked happy with his tea - very attractively happy. "Let’s mix them!" he cried out as the idea popped into his head, bouncing slightly.

Brow furrowed, Nico asked “What do you mean? Mix what?”

"Your tea and my hot chocolate! It’ll be great!" He reached for Nico’s mug.

"No, no, no. That’d probably taste horrible, and I don’t even like hot chocolate! You don’t even like green tea!" Nico covered the top of his mug with a hand, as if afraid Leo would just reach over and pour it in right then.

"Well yeah, on their own. But they’d probably taste great together! It’s dark chocolate-y stuff, so you’d probably like it, and c’mon! Why not try it?"

"Because clearly you’re the weird one now," Nico said with a little smirk. "If you’re so desperate to try it, let’s wait until we only have a little left so it won’t be a waste when it tastes gross and we both want to throw it out."

"Oh, you pessimist," Leo grumbled. He took a huge gulp of his hot chocolate and pretended he hadn’t burned his tongue. The rest of him felt cold, though. The Greek fire wasn’t as warm as the kind he could make, but there wasn’t a fireplace or anything to use - and Nico had told him in the past not to try to extinguish one of the torches to replace the green flames with his own. He really wanted to cuddle, but Nico would want to finish the tea first, so he’d have to wait. Next best option… "Got any sweaters in here?"

"Huh?" Nico asked, confused.

"I’m cold. Don’t wanna go back and get something from my cabin, so I want to steal one of your sweaters and never give it back," Leo said with a grin.

Nico laughed slightly but shook his head. “I don’t normally bother with sweaters.” Seeing Leo’s pout, he added, “I might have one from a Christmas present last year… somewhere. You can look.”

Leo brightened and began to rummage through Nico’s drawers. Before long, he found a black and white checkered cardigan and held it up triumphantly. He was about to put it on, but frowned again. “Way too small.” He threw it at Nico. “You wear it!”

"I’m not cold, Leo," Nico said with another slight laugh. Leo loved making him laugh like that.

"Yeah, but it looks cu-u-te!" He knew Nico was rolling his eyes yet again, but heard a quiet _clink_ of buttons as he put the cardigan on anyway.

Leo kept searching through some drawers for a sweater for himself. On a hunch, he checked the other cabinet and then grinned as he found a dark green pullover. Given the enormous size and the knitted moose on the front, he went out on a limb and guessed it was Frank’s from the last time he and Hazel had visited camp. He tugged it on and darted back to Nico’s bed to sit beside him.

Nico raised an eyebrow. “That’s gotta be at least three sizes too big for you, you know.”

"Yep!" Leo said cheerfully. He tugged on the cuffs and waved them in the air. "Big sweaters are the best!" His shoulders weren’t broad enough to make the collar fit where it was supposed to and so his neck was still a little cold, but he didn’t admit it, of course.

Nico just shook his head but seemed to be fighting a smile. Leo stared as he took another big sip from his mug, fingers curled around the handle. Suddenly, Leo let go of his sleeves because he’d much rather be holding Nico’s hands.

He reached over and grabbed Nico’s free hand. Nico swallowed his tea and smiled, but before he could say anything, Leo pulled him forwards. “Gods, Leo!” Nico exclaimed, and Leo felt a little hot tea splash onto the back of his neck, but as soon as Nico had the chance to put the mug down, Leo kissed him hungrily.

Nico hadn’t seemed to be expecting it, but returned the kiss eagerly. In a few moments, those amazing long fingers were entwined in Leo’s hair, pulling his head closer. Leo closed his eyes, lost in the sensation of Nico’s lips against his. Then he had to open them, because _gods_ his boyfriend was so beautiful that he just wanted to stare at him.

Kissing Nico was hot and cold at the same time… slow and fast. But always, always amazing.

He sucked in his breath as Nico began to pepper his jaw with kisses. After a little while, he had to break away because as good as it felt, he had to kiss Nico’s skin desperately.

Maybe the cardigan wasn’t the best idea, he thought as he had to tug it off to get properly at the sensitive spot on Nico’s neck and got several little threads stuck in his teeth. But the _noises_ that Nico made… totally worth it.

Nico yanked Leo away and pulled his face up to kiss his lips again. He gently pressed his lips against Leo’s, and Leo reveled in the bliss of the softness. Nico then broke away from the kiss and rested his forehead against Leo’s, eyes bright and shining. His swollen and pink lips were quirked into a little smile, and he still had his hands buried in Leo’s hair.

Leo wanted to say _you’re beautiful you’re wonderful you’re so fantasticsexyboldperfect_ , but the words were stuck on his tongue. Instead, he thought of what else was on his tongue and smiled. “See, told you green tea and hot chocolate could taste good together.”


End file.
